Adhesive bandage



Fb- 13, 1953 P. scHLAERMuNDT ETAL 2,323,672

ADHESIVE BANDAGE.

.Filed Aug. 19. 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 Tg1. /0 E Tg2,

W5/D505 n ATTORN Feb. 18, 1958 P. s cHLADERMuNDT ETAL 2,823,672

ADHESIVE BANDAGE med Aug. 1s, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2 ADHESIVE BANDAGE Peter Schladermundt, Bronxville, and William H. Dennerlein, Beechhurst, N. Y., assignors to Johnson & Johnson, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 19,-1954, Serial No. 450,972

9 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 156) This invention relates to adhesive bandages, and especially to the facing sheet generally utilized to cover and protect the pad and exposed adhesive areas thereof.

Adhesive bandages, the term being used herein to designate not only the elongated strips, but also the round spots and the relatively square patches are formed of a backing sheet which may be cloth or plastic coated on one side with an adhesive and having a dress-y dressing, in which case they'are usually as large as the endwise adhesive areas.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed tothe .spot and patch dressings as ywell as the elongated strip adhesive bandages.

The facing strips are commonly used to `cover the ad hesive `and dressing, `one strip being placed overeach end- 'wise Vadhesive area, and the two strips overlapping above the dressing. These facing strips have been cut square so that the inward end edge of each facing strip is perpendicular tothe longitudinal dimension of the adhesive bandageand of the facing strip.

A diiiculty has been encountered, however, in the structure just described, namely, the sidewise exposed adhesive areas tend to hold and retain the bottom underlying facing strip adjacent the dressing after removal of the voverlying facing strip, thereby making removal of the bottom facing strip diicult without touching the pad. Since the lfinger will generallyy be non-sterile, a hazard is introducedinto use of the ordinary adhesive bandage having square-cut facing strips. i

` An important object of the invention is to provide an adhesive' bandage with facing strips which may be removed frorn the lbandage with minimum danger of contaminating the dressing.

The manner in which the object and advantages of the invention are obtained may be understood from consideration of the drawings in connection with the following description.

Fig. 1 illustrates an isometric View of one embodiment from the adhesive bandage of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

Vface disposed against the adhesive.

23,823,672 Eatented Feb. 18, 1958 ICC Fig. 7 shows another desirable embodiment of the inv Vention.

Fig. 8 illustrates still another particular embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9 illustrates an isometric View of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. l0 is a top view of the adhesive'bandage shown in Fig. 9.

i Fig. 11 is. a bottom-view of the adhesive bandage shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. l2 is a transverse sectional view taken along-plane 12.-12 of Fig. .9.

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal `section taken along plane 13-13 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 14 illustrates the manner of removal of the facing from an adhesive bandage constructed Vaccording tothe invention.

Fig. 1,5 illustrates an adhesive bandage constructed according to a modification of the invention.

Fig. 16 representsy a sectional View taken on plane 16-16 of Fig. 15.

:Reference number 10 designates generally an adhesive bandage having atop facing strip 11 and a bottom facing strip 12 overlapping inYarea 15 above dressing pad 16 which may suitably'be made of absorbent gauze or other absorbent material. Adhesive bandage 10 has a backing strip 17 whichmay be closely woven fabric or extensible plastic `sheet and, in either case, is provided with an adhesive mass 20 on its top surface. Adhesive 20 secures the pad 16 to backing 17. Pad 16 divides adhesive mass Ztl'into exposed areas 21 and 22 on opposite endwise .portions ofthe strip.

As-best seen in Fig. 4, there are also exposed areas of adhesive 25 and 2,6 onopposite sidewise portions of the adhesive bandage. During'rnanufacture of the adhesive bandage the machinery presses facing strips 11 and 12 against adhesive areas 21 and 22 and dressing 16, thereby securing -the facing and covering areas 21 and 22. In this operation exposed sidewise areas of adhesive, such as are shown at 25 Yand 26, also become covered by and secured to facing strips 11zand 12.

Facing strips 11 and .12 may bethe usual crinoline, but are ypreferably lcontinuous sheets having one smooth sur- Suitable continuous facing materials include known .polymer or plastic sheets such ascellulose acetate, cellophane, vinyl resins, polyethylene and high-melting point terephthalic acid-glycol polyesters, either unsupported or laminated to a supporting sheet such as paper.

Bottom facing strip 12 has two inward corners 27 and 30 which, it will be noted, are substantially opposite each other on sidewise portions of the adhesive bandage. The line joining corners 27 and 3,0 is preferably substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the adhesive bandage. Further, the inward edge of bottom facing strip 12 has portions vadjacent corners 27 and 30, these portions being designated by 31 and 32, which are substantially congruent with the line joining corners 27 and 30. Between portions 31 and 3 2 of the inward edge of facing 12 there appears a bulging portion, tab or extension 35 which projects beyond portions 31 and 32. It will Vbe noted that tab 35, Vbeing inward fro-rn the sides of the adhesive bandage, is not susceptible to being secured `to the opposite endwise exposed adhesive areas 25 and 26, ,as are corners 27 and 30.

Top facing tab 11 has an inward edge which mates with the inward edge of facing 12, that is, instead of having a Vtab 35, facing 11 has a recess 4d. Corners 41 and 42 of facing 11 `are similar to corners 27 and 30 of facing `1,2, and inward edge portions 45 and 46 of facing 1,1 are similar to inward edge portions 31 and 32 of facing 12. Theform of inward edges of the respective facing f3 strips 11 and 12 is such'that they may be cut from a each other to overlap as shown.

The facing strips are removed from the adhesive` bandage as follows. The removal of top facing strip 11 presents little problem inasmuch as the overlapped portion 15 of facing strip 11 is protected from sidewise exposed areas 25 :and 26 by the corresponding overlapped portion 15 of bottom facing 12. It therefore may be picked up easily at corner 41 or 42 or edge 45 :or 46, and pulled from adhesive area 21. The bottom facing strip 12 is removed as shown in Fig. 6 by grasping the tab 21 with one hand and bending the adhesive bandage backward. Tab 35 of facing strip 12 tends to project away from pad 16 at an angle and present itself for grasping by the other hand. Once grasped within the iingers, removal of facing 12 is relatively easy. It is seen that even though facing 12 may be secured to exposed areas of adhesive at 25 and 26, at corners 27 and 30, by bending the adhesive bandage backward on itself, tab 35, which is not restrained by adhesive areas 25 and 26, projects away from the dressing presenting itself for grasping.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 the underlying facing strip 12A has inward corners 27A and 30A and intermediate tab 35A disposed above an absorbent dressing pad. Topwise facing strip 11A has inward corners 41A and 42A with intervening recess 40A. The apparent and actual difference between the structures of Figs. 2 and 7 is that in the latter no portions such as 31 and 32, congruent with the perpendicular line joining points 27A and 30A, are provided. It will be noted, however, that the transversely-disposed line joining corners 27A and 30A lies substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the adhesive bandage and facing strips. In use of the adhesive bandage illustarted in Fig. 7 bottom facing strip 12A may similarly be removed by bending the adhesive bandage backward on itself, thereby penmitting tab 35A to project away from the pad, presenting itself for finger-grasping.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 the reference numbers used represent parts corresponding to those designated in the Figs. 2 and 7 embodiments, the suflix B being used to distinguish Fig. 8 embodiment from the other iigures. In use of the adhesive bandage shown in Fig. 8, bottom facing strip 12B similarly may be removed by bending the adhesive bandage back, permitting tab 35B to project away from the subjacent dressing pad, thereby presenting itself for grasping by the fingers.

Figs. 9 to 13 illustrate still another embodiment of the invention. The adhesive bandage is seen to be composed of a backing strip 110 provided on its top surface with an adhesive mass 111. A dressing pad 112 is disposed intermediate the ends of the backing strip 110 secured to adhesive 111. Exposed portions of adhesive 115 and 116 appear on opposite endwise portions of the bandage. Facing strips 120 and 121 cover respective opposite adhesive areas 115 and 116, the facing strips 120 and 121 being pressed against adhesive areas 115 and 116 (with the smooth surface against the adhesive) and overlapping above dressing pad 112 in Iareas 122 and 125.

Facing strip 120 has an inward corner 126 at one side of t-he bandage and an inward corner 127 on the opposite side of the bandage. Similarly, facing strip 121 has an inward corner 130 at one side of the bandage and an inward corner 131 on the opposite side of thebandage. Line 135 joins corners 126 and 127, and line 136 joins corners 130 and 131. Line 135 divides the inward edge 140 of facing strip 120 into a tab portion V141 and a recessed portion 142. Similarly, line 136 divides the inward edge 145 of facing 121 into a tab portion 146 and a recessed portion 147. The depth of recessed portions 142 and 147 defined by the distance between points 150 and 151 respectively (representing the points in the respective recessed portions which are farthest from lines 135 and 136) and lines 135 and 136 are such that the facing strips 120 and 121 may be interlocked, as shown in Fig. 10, thereby leaving a portion 122 of facing strip 120 overlapping facing strip 121, and `a portion 125 of facing strip 121 overlapping facing strip 120. According to the invention the interlocking feature is provided by so constructing and cutting the respective inward edges of the two facing strips that point 150 extends at least to the midpoint of facing strip 120 and recess 147, the depth tof which is defined by point 151, extends at least to the midpoint of facing strip 121. Considered more basically, the interlocking feature is seen to be provided in structures having the cumulative depth of the two recesses 142 and 147, measured transversely to the bandage, substantially equal to or greater than the total width of facing `120 or 121. l Preferably the depth of each recess is such that points 150 and 151 lie appreciably beyond the midpoint of the respective facing strip thereby facilitating the interlocking structure of the facing, as shown in Figs. 9 and l0.

Facing strips 120 and 121 may suitably be cut or died out from a continuous strip of facing material, a single Cut forming the respective inward edges 140 and 145 of the two overlapping portions of facing material. An S-curve cut, preferably 1an inclined S-curve cut as shown, is desirable. After cutting, provided that depressions 142 and 147 are formed as described above, the two segments may be moved inwardly in interlocking position as shown.

In removing the facing from the adhesive bandage of Fig. 10, tabs 140 and 145 may be grasped simultaneously and pulled or, alternatively, one of the tabs, for example tab 140, may be removed first and thereafter the exposed part of the adhesive bandage grasped lightly as shown in Fig. 14 with one hand and tab 145 in the other hand, followed by pulling to `remove facing 121, just as in the case of Fig. 6 described above.

During manufacture of the adhesive bandage, particularly with plastic film backing, not only are the facing sheets 120 and 121 pressed down against exposed adhesive areas and 116, but the facing is also pressed against any edgewise or sidewise exposed areas of adhesive such as shown at 117 and 118 of Fig. 12. In the interlocking position, however, overlapping portion 122 of facing is protected from sidewise exposed areas of adhesive by the underlying portion of facing 121. Similarly, overlapping portion 125 of facing 121 is protected by the underlying portion of facing 120.

The broad concept of the invention is illustrated in Figs. l5 :and 16. The reference numbers for the Fig. 15 embodiment are identical for corresponding parts as compared with the Fig. 10 'embodiment except that in the .fonmer the letter A follows the reference number, that is,

facing sheets 120A and 121A are disposed on opposite sides of the bandage and overlap the pad near their inward edges 140A and 145A. Facing 121A has inward corners 131A and 130A joined by straight line 136A, and facingV 120A has inward corners 126A and 127A joined by straight line 135A. Lines 135A and 136A define projections or tabs 141A and 146A, respectively, and recesses 142A and 147A, respectively. Points 150A and 151A are the deepest points of the respective depressions.

Bottom facing sheet 121A, by reason of the mode of construction of the adhesive bandage and, inl particular, the mode of securing the facing strips to the bandage,

Vis secured to exposed sidewise adhesive areas 117 and 118 at its corners 130A and 131A. In use of the bandage, top facing sheet 120 may be easily removed by pulling on tab 141A. The bandage then may be bent back upon itself in the central portion similar to the manner illus- Many modifications and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the invention will now be apparent in the light of the foregoing specific description. Accordingly, it is intended to include such modifications and equivalents within the scope of protection sought, as defined by the appended claims. i

The claims are:

l. In an adhesive bandage comprising a flexible adhesive-covered backing and a dressing secured thereto intermediate the ends of the bandage leaving two exposed Vareas of adhesive at opposite endwise portionsof said backing, the improvement which'c'omprises na protective facing strip having a surfaceV in'r'contactV with and covering each of said two exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing withv the' adhesive contacting surface at the inner marginal portion of Yone strip in' overlyingk and( facewise engagement with the underlying nonadhesive contacting surface at the corresponding inner marginal end of the other strip, said bottom strip having its inner transverse edge terminating at its opposite ends adjacent opposite sides of said backing and presenting intermediate said ends a protruding tab portion relative to a line joining said corners.

2. In an adhesive bandage comprising a flexible adhesive-covered backing and a dressing secured thereto intermediate the ends of the bandage leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing and exposed areas of adhesive at opposite sidewise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip having a surface in contact with and covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said strips overlapping above Said dressing with the adhesive contacting surface at the inner marginal portion of one strip in overlying and facewise engagement with the underlying non-adhesive contacting surface at the corresponding inner marginal end of the other strip, said bottom strip having its inner transverse edge terminating at its opposite ends adjacent opposite sidewise exposed adhesive areas of said backing and presenting intermediate said ends a protruding tab portion relative to a line joining said corners.

3. In an adhesive bandage comprising a flexible adllesive-covered backing and a dressing secured thereto intermediate its ends leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip covering each of said two exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing, said bottom strip having an inward transverse edge terminating at opposite inward corners of said strip adjacent opposite sides of said backing, a straight line joining said corners being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said bandage, said inward edge having a protruding tab relative to said line and centered approximately in the middle of said edge.

4. In an adhesive bandage comprising a exible adhesive-covered backing and a dressing secured thereto intermediate its ends leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing and exposed areas of adhesive at opposite sidewise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing, said bottom strip having an inward transverse edge terminating at opposite inward corners of said strip adjacent opposite sidewise exposed adhesiveaieas of s aid backing, fa z'stlraiglitiline 'joining saidco'rnersmbeing substantially perpendicular to the" longitudinal dimension -'of said'bandage,"s`aid inward `edgeh'avir-1g` a' protruding tab relative to Vsaidl line andk centeredY lapproximately in the middle of said `edge. 4

5. In an adhesive bandage comprising a `ilexible adhesive-cover'ed backing andy a` dressing; secured lthereto intermediate its ends leaving two exposed areas of 'adhesive at opposite endwiseportions of said backing, and

exposed areas vof adhesive at opposite sidewise portions' of said backing, the improvement which comprises a p rotectivefacing strip covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said stripsoverlapping above said dressing, each of said strips having an inward transverse edge terminating at opposite inward corners of said strips adjacent opposite isidewise exposed adhesive areas'of `said backing, straight lines joining said'opposite'cornersof respectivestrips 'being substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the'longitudinal dimensionA of 'said bandage, the `inward edgel of `the bottom strip having sa protruding tab relative tothe line joining theopposite inward corners of such strip land centered approximately in the middle of said edge. 'i

' 6.`In`an adhesive bandage comprising a flexible adhesive-covere'dv backing and an vabsorbent vdressing pad secured thereto intermediate vits ends leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing and exposed areas of adhesive at opposite sidewise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip having a smooth continuous surface covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing, each of said strips having an inward transverse edge terminating at opposite inward corners of said strip adjacent opposite sidewise exposed adhesive areas of said backing, straight lines joining said opposite corners of respective strips being substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said bandage, the inward edge of the bottom strip having a protruding tab relative to the line joining the opposite inward corners of such strip and approximately in the middle of said edge, and the inward edge of the top strip having a recess, both of said inward edges having been formed by a single cut of a longitudinal sheet of facing material followed by moving together of the segments so formed to said overlapping position.

7. In an adhesive bandage comprising a flexible adhesive-covered backing and a dressing secured thereto intermediate its ends leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing and exposed areas of adhesive at opposite sidewise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing, each of said strips having an inward transverse edge terminating at opposite inward corners of said strips adjacent opposite sidewise exposed adhesive areas of said backing, straight lines joining said opposite corners of respective strips being substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said bandage, the inward edge of the bottom strip having a protruding tab relative to the line joining the oppositeV inward corners of such strip and approximately in the lmiddle of said edge, portions of said edge on both sides of said tab lying substantially on said line.

8. In an adhesive bandage comprising a flexible adhesive-covered backing and an absorbent dressing pad secured thereto intermediate its ends leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing and exposed areas of adhesive at opposite sidewise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip having a smooth continuous surface covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing,

. each of said strips having an inward transverse edge terminating at opposite inward corners of said strip adjacent opposite sidewise exposed adhesive areas of said backing, straight lines joining said opposite corners of respective strips being substantially parallel to each other .and perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said bandage, the inward edge of the bottom strip having a nprotruding tab relative to the line joining the opposite inward corners of such strip and approximately in the middle of said edge, portions of said edge on both sides of said tab lying substantially on Said line, and the inward edge of the top strip having a recess, both of said inward edges having been formed by a single cut of a longitudinal sheet of facing material followed by moving together of the segments so formed to said overlapping position.

9. In an adhesive Vbandage comprising an extensible plastic adhesive-covered backing and an absorbent dressing pad secured thereto intermediate its ends leaving two exposed areas of adhesive at opposite endwise portions of said backing and exposed areas of adhesive at opposite sidewise portions of said backing, the improvement which comprises a protective facing strip having a smooth continuous surface covering each of said two endwise exposed areas, said strips overlapping above said dressing, each of said strips having an inward transverse edge vterminating at opposite inward corners of said strip adjacent opposite sidewise exposed adhesive areas of said backing, straight lines joining said opposite corners of respective strips being substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said bandage, the inward edge of the bottom strip having a protruding tab relative to the line joining the opposite inward corners of such strip and approximately in the middle of said edge, and the inward edge of the top strip having a recess, both of said inward edges having been formed by a single cut of a longitudinal sheet of facing material followed by moving together of the segments so formed to said overlapping position, said bottom tab being adapted to protrude away from said dressing pad when the bandage is bent longitudinally backward at the pad.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS i 2,029,260 Eustis et al Ian. 28, 1936 2,233,209 Herzog Feb. `25, 1941 2,703,083 Gross Mar. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 34,003 France Oct. 23, 1928 402,870 Great Britain Dec. 14, 1933 

